Welcome to MSMC's Department of Nursing
Welcome to Mount St. Mary's College Department of Nursing! It is my extreme pleasure as the Dean and alumna of the Mount to briefly share my sincere passion about nursing and Mount St. Mary's College with you.
The Department of Nursing was established in September 1949, accredited by the California Board of Nurse Examiners in February 1950, and graduated its inaugural class in 1952. Mount St. Mary's College offered the first bachelor degree in nursing program in California. The Program was initially accredited by the National League for Nursing (NLN). The BSN and MSN Programs are currently accredited by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)/ Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and as of October 2009 has the full ten year accreditation culminating in 2019.
We have a total of five nursing programs in the Department of Nursing. There are the Associate Degree in Nursing Program, two Bachelor Degree Nursing Programs and two Master of Science in Nursing degree programs. The Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program is housed at the Chalon Campus while the other four programs reside at the Doheny Campus.
The Associate Degree in Nursing Program is designed to meet the needs of adult students who may be returning to school to pursue a new career or have chosen an afternoon or evening format to complete their studies. The Program admits students twice annually, in the Fall and Spring.
The Traditional Bachelor Degree Program admits students who are pre-nursing students at Mount St. Mary's College or transfer students from community colleges, four year colleges and universities. These students begin nursing classes during the sophomore year and complete three years of nursing coursework as well as other required and elective courses. The Accelerated Baccalaureate Program began in 1995 with a cohort of 20 students. This program was designed to accommodate candidates who have earned bachelor degrees in fields other than nursing. Currently, two cohorts of 40 students each are admitted every calendar year.
The Master of Science in Nursing Program started in Fall 2003 with 30 students. We have grown to over 70 students in both the MSN program and the most recent addition to our family of nursing programs, the Associate Degree in Nursing to Master of Science in Nursing Program. Our graduate tracks include: Education; Leadership/Administration; Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist; and, Post MSN Adult Health Clinical Nurse Specialist Certificate.
The Mount Nursing faculty are exceptionally well-qualified and experienced in their areas of expertise. The superior reputation of Mount Nursing graduates in the community has been consistent since the inception of Nursing Programs at the College. Service learning is a tenet of the College mission and the Nursing Department. To that end we have funded an Endowed Chair position to focus on strategic partnerships in the community that will enable our students to reach out and serve local community needs.
There are so many exceptionally exciting happenings in the dynamic world of nursing today. Here at the Mount we are well-connected and in partnership with colleagues in both Academia and Service to provide the best well-rounded nursing education to all qualified and motivated students. We are committed to increasing the diversity among health care practitioners and honoring the unique aspects of the individuals we serve.
We invite you to join our family and share in our passion for Nursing.
Dr. Rosanne Curtis